Dive Summary:

• After months of delay, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has sent a letter of commitment to issue new energy efficiency standards in 10 states and New York City that will promote energy conversation for four products: metal halide lamps, commercial refrigeration equipment, walk-in coolers, freezers and electric motors, Greentech Media reports.
• These standards, which will become final next year, are expected to save customers $3.8B annually and enough electricity to power almost 4 million homes.
• A coalition of the states including attorney generals from Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington; the California Energy Commission; the corporation counsel for the City of New York; the National Consumer Law Center; and the Natural Resources Defense Council have been pressing the DOE to deliver the efficiency standards within the legal timeframe of 7-18 months.

From the article:

“The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) estimates that standards for the four products covered under the commitment announced today could cumulatively save about 5.8 quads of electricity through 2035, enough to supply all of the energy needs in the United States for three weeks, and slash 27 million metric tons of climate-warming carbon pollution annually, equivalent to taking at least six coal-fired power plants offline.”